How much to spend on a helmet.

[Claviger]

Not all DOT/Snell helmets are created equal, no matter what the manufacturer/vendor says it is a minimum standard. DOT only has to take 1 hit, Snell is required to take multiple hits, are really sure you will only bounce your head off the ground once? Just food for thought.

To reiterate: DOT is absolutely NOT the equal to Snell. They are similar, but Snell is superior and much harder to pass for manufacturers. DOT tests a sample chosen and sent by the manufacturer, who is then trusted to maintain the standards used when building the test sample. Snell tests a random sample and retests regularly without informing the manufacturer using off the shelf samples.

As to how much to spend, there is no correct answer, but in order I think these should be the priorities that will get you to your "right" helmet:

1: Does it fit properly, if not find another helmet. No exceptions, an ill fitting Shoei vs a good fitting anything will perform worse than the generic.
2: If it fits properly, try to find a carbon shell, if you cannot, look for fiberglass, if you still cant find one that fits properly made of composites, then and only then go to poly (plastic) shell helmets. Poly is great for the initial impact, but performs much worse on subsequent impacts.
3: Is it comfortable? If not, put it back on the shelf and keep looking. If it is, continue on. No one wants to wear a uncomfortable helmet, and it will deter you from wearing it properly and possibly from riding as much.
4: Price, if you have found multiple helmets that fit right and are made of carbon, glass, or a mix of both, pick the one you can afford.
5: Color, picture, graphics... whatever. These should be the LAST thing you even think about. They are 100% unrelated to anything except your ego. You will look much cooler walking away from a hard crash wearing a pink helmet, than you would look dead with brains falling out in a flat black one with a "badass" graphic on it.


My helmet: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nexx-xr1r-carbon-helmet

I've owned Shoeis Arais HJCs and Sharks, for me, the Nexx is vastly superior to all. Equal comfort to my $900.00 Arai, lighter than all others, better Aeros at high speed than all but the Shark, and SUPER quiet as a result of the integrated oversized neckroll. Plus... it's fawkin sexy!

 

[albertaduke]

yep!!! but yours does not appears to have the shield tinted gold!!

 

[mully95]

Not all DOT/Snell helmets are created equal, no matter what the manufacturer/vendor says it is a minimum standard. DOT only has to take 1 hit, Snell is required to take multiple hits, are really sure you will only bounce your head off the ground once? Just food for thought.

To reiterate: DOT is absolutely NOT the equal to Snell. They are similar, but Snell is superior and much harder to pass for manufacturers. DOT tests a sample chosen and sent by the manufacturer, who is then trusted to maintain the standards used when building the test sample. Snell tests a random sample and retests regularly without informing the manufacturer using off the shelf samples.

As to how much to spend, there is no correct answer, but in order I think these should be the priorities that will get you to your "right" helmet:

1: Does it fit properly, if not find another helmet. No exceptions, an ill fitting Shoei vs a good fitting anything will perform worse than the generic.
2: If it fits properly, try to find a carbon shell, if you cannot, look for fiberglass, if you still cant find one that fits properly made of composites, then and only then go to poly (plastic) shell helmets. Poly is great for the initial impact, but performs much worse on subsequent impacts.
3: Is it comfortable? If not, put it back on the shelf and keep looking. If it is, continue on. No one wants to wear a uncomfortable helmet, and it will deter you from wearing it properly and possibly from riding as much.
4: Price, if you have found multiple helmets that fit right and are made of carbon, glass, or a mix of both, pick the one you can afford.
5: Color, picture, graphics... whatever. These should be the LAST thing you even think about. They are 100% unrelated to anything except your ego. You will look much cooler walking away from a hard crash wearing a pink helmet, than you would look dead with brains falling out in a flat black one with a "badass" graphic on it.


My helmet: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nexx-xr1r-carbon-helmet

I've owned Shoeis Arais HJCs and Sharks, for me, the Nexx is vastly superior to all. Equal comfort to my $900.00 Arai, lighter than all others, better Aeros at high speed than all but the Shark, and SUPER quiet as a result of the integrated oversized neckroll. Plus... it's fawkin sexy!

I don't think I have ever seen or heard of Nexx but they do have some great looking helmets. I like the integrated oversized neckroll... this has my attention. I'm really liking the XR2.

Thanks for sharing.

http://www.nexx-usa.com/

 

[1olbull]

@ksquared
Awesome, indeed!

 

[Claviger]

Nexx are badass helmets, used by the US bobsleding team during the olypmics if that tells you anything.

 

[cr0ft]

To reiterate: DOT is absolutely NOT the equal to Snell. They are similar, but Snell is superior and much harder to pass for manufacturers. DOT tests a sample chosen and sent by the manufacturer, who is then trusted to maintain the standards used when building the test sample. Snell tests a random sample and retests regularly without informing the manufacturer using off the shelf samples.

Snell also has come under some fire for being too good. As in, the shell and the innards had to be specced to handle hundreds of G, and that came at the expense of being good at dealing with actually survivable force. Snell 2005, I believe, and there are still older helmets out there.

 

[ksquared]

The debate about which standard translates best into effective helmet performance has been going on for years.

Back in 2005, Motorcyclist Magazine published a very extensive article regarding helmet performance in terms of the DOT, EC and Snell standards (Snell 2005), entitled "Blowing the Lid Off". The article can be found here:

http://www.westcoastweasels.com/archives/PDF/Blowing_the_Lid_Off.pdf

It's a long read, but a very revealing one. It's qualitative findings have limited relevance now, since the adoption of the newer Snell 2010 standard, but is still worthwhile reading for it's methodology. The Snell Foundation took exception with many of the conclusions in the article and published its own response, which is included at the end of the article.

Another useful article on helmets can be found here: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-faq.htm

I recommend all of these to anyone who is seriously looking into the issue of helmet safety.

 

[Claviger]

First point, about materials: I have extensive experience working with reinforced plastics manufacturing, aka composites, aka fiberglass/carbon etc., in both the commercial and defense contracting world. I can tell with the utmost certainty, a reinforced plastic (fiberglass/carbon) is not as fragile as most people seem to think, and the point in that article where they mention the shell cracks, means nothing without further investigation into the layers below the surface.

"Note that many motorcyclists refer to a "DOT FMVSS 218" approved helmet, which is incorrect. There is no mandatory DOT approval process; like many other standards in the U.S.A., the system is a self-approval process. The manufacturers must have the helmets tested at a laboratory that is approved to do the testing. This is one of the biggest criticisms of the DOT standards." - Webbikeworld.com

If that is still going on, DOT certification means less than the sticker it is printed on. Think about all the companies in the world that have been proven un-trustworthy, even when it comes to life threatening devices (GM anyone?!), and ask your self if you really trust that company making your helmet. Their end state goal is to make money. With that in mind wouldn't you rather have them tested by an independent third party?

My original post wasn't meant to start a DOT vs Snell vs ECE war, rather, it was simply meant to convey to people that blindly accepting a helmet is safe because it has DOT on it is foolish, and there are far superior systems in use around the world.

Look at the top models from pretty much every "big name" brand and their certs, these are race repli helmets intended for track use, where they absolutely can experience those G loads and multiple impacts, above what DOT requires, coincidence they all carry a second testing verification?

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/arai-corsair-v-solid-helmet - DOT and Snell 2010
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shoei-x-12-solid-helmet - DOT and Snell 2010
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shark-speed-r-carbon-skin-helmet - DOT and ECE 22.05
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shark-race-r-pro-carbon-helmet - DOT and ECE 22.05
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/bell-rs-1-helmet-solid - DOT and Snell 2010

Just my .02

 

[HansO]

I've owned Shoeis Arais HJCs and Sharks, for me, the Nexx is vastly superior to all. Equal comfort to my $900.00 Arai, lighter than all others, better Aeros at high speed than all but the Shark, and SUPER quiet as a result of the integrated oversized neckroll. Plus... it's fawkin sexy!

I have the Shark Race-R PRO Carbon(I have it in the Red and as friends have said it is visible from a distance, yup it is bright) and it is the quietest Helmet I have ever had, it too has an oversized neck role and if the roll was any bigger you wouldn't get your head in past it, and thuo you can't see it clearly in the picture there is a lot of neck role hiding in there

 

[Claviger]

Ya, Sharks are nice helmets for sure!